Simplicity does not mean Safety
by Arei-The Peridot Dragon
Summary: This is a One-Shot request tied to my story Harry Potter and The Imaginary Friend! Please enjoy!


This is to complete a One-shot request from steve-arkarian  
Please reference my store Harry Potter and the Imaginary Friend Chapter 18: Of Brainiacs and Dragons.  
This will be from Hermione's POV.

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Simplicity does not mean Safety.

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Hermione carefully slipped into the library with a nod to Madam Pince. She had a small container of dried fruit in one hand and her school bag in the other. Choosing a nice spot near the window (the desk was in the light coming through the window while the seat was in the shade of the wall making for an ideal spot for her) she set her bag down and sat on the chair. She slipped out several folders filled with paperwork and rifled through them swiftly. To her surprise and pleasure Hermione found that she had indeed finished all of the current homework for the week as well as completed all of her testing exercises for the day, the exercises designed to help prepare for the finals.

She let out a faint, annoyed sigh as she thought of the boys, including Draco. She'd given them their own schedules and they were avoiding working on them unless she hounded them. Honestly if they'd paid attention to the schedule they'd see that the last three days before testing were completely clear! The idea was to study like crazy and then take a good break before hand to let all the new knowledge settle that way on the day of the finals you were properly rested and prepared. Cram sessions the nights before a final were horrible because you didn't get the rest you needed to properly retain the knowledge! She nodded firmly to herself and decided the next time she saw the boys she'd try to get them to see her reasoning behind her plan. Really it worked perfectly for her so it should help them.

With nothing else to work on at this point she found herself free to study other books. Smiling to herself, she went to the fourth year aisle and pulled out a book on fourth year charms. She'd just finished the one on jynxes and counter-jynxes (After the beratement Draco had given her on her error about jynxes she was determined not to make another similar mistake again... EVER) and was eager to start in on charms. Everything about magic was so fascinating to her and also was so... so. Well to her it was amazingly complex in it's sheer simplicity! How a wand movement, a simple 'swish' at the end, could be used to argument a spell and make it stronger then the orginal version.

She sat back down, careful with the tome she'd grabbed and she started to nibble at her dried fruit, careful to keep any crumbs or bits from falling onto the pages. She'd read a few books on Core energy and maintenance and had adjusted her diet accordingly since she was practicing higher year spells. She also rested after each attempt even if she got things wrong and took extra naps as well to keep up her energy.

Hermione was starting to 'fall' into her book, the words and details about the spells entrancing her when suddenly the book was slammed shut causing her to let out a loud squeak. She looked up and saw Pansy glaring at her. She gulped, suddenly fearful.

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Hermione had been stunned. She hadn't expected what amounted to a... a intervention!... of all things when Pansy had slammed Hermione's book shut on her. As it was she felt horrible for worrying the others, rubbing at the tears on her cheeks. They were nice about it too, letting them know that they cared about her... well, Pansy started off Really mean about it but then got nicer but Hermione realized she really needing that to realize the danger she was putting herself in.

What was worse was when Harry suddenly announced that Professor Snape was coming down the hall. Harry gave her a gentle push and she squared her shoulders and walked over to the dour Professor. He stopped as she made her way in front of her and stared down at her with a raised brow.

"I would assume that you are blocking my path because you have some foolish question for me, as you always do Ms. Granger, so would you kindly ask your question so I might continue my rounds without further obstruction?"

"I... yes sir... sorry sir!" Hermione gulped and looked down. "Everything... everything is so simple, sir. It's so complex in it's sheer simplicity!"

Snape raised a brow at her.

"What are you babbling about girl?"

"Magic!" Hermione shouted and then clapped her hands over her mouth in shock that she had yelled at a teacher.

Snape blinked down at her, a single brow raised. Hermione felt her face flare with a strong blush as she looked down at the ground and then back up. She straightened her voice and tried to keep her tone even.

"Professor... magic is so simple to me. A spell that might... take others time to wrap their heads around... I get it. I..." She looked back at the others who were smiling at her encouragingly. She smiled faintly back and looked back up at the dour looking professor. "I've... been jumping ahead sir... in the curriculum."

"Indeed? How far ahead do you Supposedly understand things?" Snape sneered slightly.

"Um... I've read up and been practicing..." She gulped and looked down.

"Out with it Granger!"

"Mid-term Fourth Year spells sir!" She yelp out.

The reaction she got next wasn't what she was expecting. A scolding yes, and angry fit on being a foolish Gryfindor sure, but this? Professor Snape's face went paler then normal and she found her arm being grabbed and she was being yanked along behind Snape as he stalked up the stairs. Harry and the others made to follow but Draco held them back with a shake of his head and words she couldn't hear. Eventually she realized she was being dragged toward the hospital wing. They entered the empty rooms and he made her sit on one of the beds and with a point of his fingers and a pale faced glare indicated for her to remain where he sat her.

He then darted into Madam Pompfry's office and Hermione heard their voices rise and fall, first anger, then shock and then back to anger. She winced and stared at her feet wondering how much trouble she was going to be in.

After what felt like hours later the Healer and Potions Master left the office room and stalked over to her. No one said anything while Madam Pompfry cast what Hermione recognized as a diagnostics spell. Both adults faces went dark and they moved away to consult with each other for several long moments before walking back over to her. Professor Snape stayed standing, his face unreadable while Madam Pompfry summoned a chair and sat in front of Hermione.

"I'm very glad that you came to a teacher about this Ms. Granger. Your Core is very weakened right now, nothing permanent, but had you continued the way you had been you might have caused permanent damage."

"I... I was following instructions from my book on Core's. Taking extra naps and eating a lot more then normal." Hermione said softly.

"And that alone is why you don't have any _Permanent_ damage, deary. " Madam Pompfry sighed softly. "Honestly, we get one every year don't we Severus?"

"Sometimes two." Professor Snape sneered. "I suppose since I found out about her... activities I'll have to take her in then?"

"That is the way of things." Madam Pompfry smiled suddenly. "I'm sure she'll be a good influence on the twins."

"Or they'll be a horrible influence on her!"

"Um... Twins?" Hermione asked. "And what do you mean by 'take me in'?"

"Hmph... knowing you, you'd like to continue with your... advanced... studies?"

"Please sir?" Hemione said with a hopeful look at the Professor. He rolled his eyes.

"Most times when we get a student like yourself they want to keep studying ahead. The only safe way to do that is under a Professor's watchful eye. A Professor will be able to monitor the students Core and insure that the student is not practicing to the point that they will damage themselves and will force them to rest when needed. Regardless of house the Professor who first finds out about the students 'unofficial advanced studies' normally is the one to monitor said students to ensure their safety unless they already have their hands full." Madam Pompfry explained.

"As far as 'the twins'... I mean those red-headed trouble making miscreants."

"Oh, Fred and George? Wait!" Hermione blinked. "Fred and George?!"

"Why do you think they have 'detention' so often? You'll be having the same. You will have a true detention and then any after that will result in lessons with me." Professor Snape sneered at her. "You'd best understand that I take this seriously Granger. Firstly you will not breathe a word, _NOT ONE WORD_, of your lessons with the others, I don't want any other hair brained fools to teach and I have a reputation to uphold."

Hemione couldn't help a nervous giggle that escaped her at that. He was known as the 'bat of the dungeons' amongst the students and probably went far to keep that reputation intact. His glare silenced her faster then a Silencio spell.

"Secondly if I find you casting advanced spells outside of my lessons for any reason other then a _LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCY _I will confiscate your wand AND any books other then your first year books for an indefinite period of time."

Hermione looked horrified at the thought of loosing her precious books.

"I wont sir! I swear!"

"Now Severus isn't that a bit much?"

"She's a bibliophile, it's the most effective threat anyone could ever make."

Hermione had to agree with that! She hated the mere thought of loosing her books. Professor Snape turned back to her with a glower.

"I will discuss the situation with your head of house to decide what your detention will be. For the moment however, Fifty points shall be deducted for sheer Stupidity Ms. Granger."

She groaned at the thought. Fifty points! She just lost her house FIFTY points! Oh but she felt absolutely horrible. How was she ever going to face the others now?

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Hope you enjoyed steve-arkarian!

Thanks again for your kind review!


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